Fri, 24 Aug 2018 22:30:24 -0700WeeblyWed, 22 Aug 2018 16:20:59 GMThttp://www.mermaidraina.com/blog-tutorials/the-long-term-effects-of-mermaiding"Mermaiding" is a verb coined by the professional and recreational community of people who use mermaid/merman/merfolk tails. The verb means to swim in a tail. Swimming in a tail - mermaiding- can have many effects on the body. Some of these are positive such; an increased strength- while others may be negative, such as; chronic pain. For the purpose of this blog we're going to look at a published study and a survey to better understand the impact mermaiding has on our bodies.

The Study

Mermaiding requires a lot of work and effort, whether you are at a professional level or not. It typically requires a large range of motion, a capacity for moving despite drag or weight, and a certain comfort level in the water.

In 2017 Matthieu Guitton, a member of the Faculty of Medicine at Laval University in Quebec City, published the first study of "mermaid health" in the journal of International Maritime Health. You can read the study in full here, but I have some highlights below:

The study was a small sample size of self reported professional mermaids ranging in age from 26-43.

The study compromised a combined total of 19,147 hours of "in water" mermaid work - self reported.

The study made the observation that the profile of health issues experienced by professional mermaids is unique and specific, and clearly different from both professional swimmers and surfers.

THE Survey

Over the course of a year, I collected survey data from 170 merfolk. The survey provided a platform for people to self report the various issues they experiencing while mermaiding, and the positive effect it has on their life as well. It's important to note that because these are "self reported" answers, they can't be totally verified. Some people may under-report, some may exaggerate, and some may answer who don't really qualify. I work to control these variable to the best of my ability and feel that the percentages still reflect the community. However, it's important to consider these points when reading the following data.

The Demographic

The demographic based on the reports are as followed:

Total 170 "mers" answered

90% were female, 6% male, and 4% non-binary

The majority of those who answered had been using a mer-tail between 3-5 years at 50%. The other half were broken down with 1-2 years being the second highest at 29%, 6-8 years at 13%, 9-10 years at 5% and 11+ years at 3%

The survey didn't distinguish between professional or recreational mers

31% usually used silicone tails, 26% used fabric only tails such as FinFun. 23% used a 'mix of tails' depending on the need, and 9% used hybrid tails including sequin tails. 8% made their own tails, and 3% used "other" undefined materials

When it comes to how often they swim, 37% swan 5 times or less in 1 month. 33% felt they swam mostly seasonally but still a little throughout the year. 17% claimed to have swam 6-10 times in a month while 10% swam between 12-20 times in a month. 3% reported swimming 21+ times in a month

32% of those who self reported were between the ages of 21-25, with 24% following close behind at 26-30. Only 1 person was less than 16. 1 person was between the ages of 56-60, and 1 between 46-50.

Finally we looked at training as part of the demographic of mers. Important note: respondents were allowed to check more than one answer as it applied to them. 34% reported having some type of formal swimming training such as syncro. 32% had no training what-so-ever. 27% had scuba training, and 23% had Freediving. A combined 26% took some form of short class (monofin class, swim school, aqua fit etc). Finally, 24% had some lifeguarding or swim instructor experience.

From looking at our demographic we can make a few assumptions about the 170 folks who self-replied. The majority are female between the ages of 21-30. They swim 5 times a month or so, mostly in silicone or fabric. They've been mostly using tails for 3-5 years, with many coming in at the 1-2 year mark. The survey also reports that 61% swim mostly in pools, 21% fairly evenly across pools and bodies of water, and only 12% swimming mostly in oceans and lakes. It was very evenly split between the mers who had formal training in swimming and those who had no training at all. An assumption could be made that accessibility to scuba and freediving training may need to be increased for merfolk.

The Results

In the survey, respondents were asked to select all of the negative and positive effects they felt they experienced while mermaiding. The majority of these selections would be considered "chronic" issues that re-occur so long as the mer continues to swim. However, some may be reporting on issues that they seldom experience. it's important to note that the merfolk self reporting identify these issues as directly being caused by mermaiding, and not other outside factors.

The Bad: 5 Times a Year or Less:

25% expressed being extremely cold to the point of hypothermia 1-5 times a year

23% reported ear infections 1-5 times a year

18% experienced joint pain 1-5 times a year

14% reported heat or sun stroke 1-5 times a year

12% reported eye infections 1-5 times a year

12% reported mermaiding leading to anxiety or depression 1-5 times a year

5% experienced inflamed ribs 1-5 times a year

48% reported that their hair gets severely damaged

48% report having muscle cramping 1-5 times a year

38% report sunburns while mermaiding 1-5 times a year

21% experienced skin irritation and rashes 1-5 times a year

20% experience sinus infections 1-5 times a year

19% expressed feeling extremely stressed due to mermaiding 1-5 times a year

9% experience sciatica 1-5 times a year

The Bad: More Serious or More Frequent Issues:

57% reported getting blisters on feet/ankles/knee areas more than 5 times a year

33% experience back pain 5 times a year or more

8% reported a dangerous encounter with an ocean animal

6% reported increased issues in breathing and lung problems

2% had a broken bone due to mermaiding

15% experienced hip pain more than 5 times a year.

10% reported bad lacerations or cuts due to mermaiding

7% reported experiencing a near drowning while mermaiding

5% said mermaiding flares their health conditions

Thoughts

From the survey results it seems that many of the ongoing issues are more superficial and annoying, such as blisters, dying hair, and skin irritation. However, it's still quite alarming how often mers experience sometime of additional more serious pain a year, with most being less than 5 but some being more so. Back pain is extremely common, and while small amounts it's still unnerving to read that some have endured broken bones, bad cuts, and dangerous encounters with animals.

It is my personal belief that more education is needed for how mers can counteract these negative effects. Whether it is knowing how to prevent blisters, or understanding body physiology to help counteract back pain, hip, and rib pain. Seeking out the help of professionals such as physiotherapists, chiropractors, massage therapists, and even personal trainer can help mers understand the stress being put on their bodies.

Tails- especially silicone tails- put an unnatural amount of force on our joints. At the hip, knee, and ankle area, the restriction of the tail is constantly adding a pushing or squeezing force to joints that would normally have a full range of motion. Swimming in a fabric tail or a monofin doesn't cause the same amount of force. Yes- your legs are "together" but they are not experiencing a serious constriction.

You can learn more about my personal experience combating mermaiding with fitness here: https://www.mermaidraina.com/blog-tutorials/fitness-for-merfolk

The Good

But wait- it's not all doom and gloom! We all know that mermaiding has a positive effect on us, it's why we do it! But how often do we actually sit down and look at the changes mermaiding is creating in our physical bodies? Check out some of these survey results, keeping in mind that respondents could answer more than 1.

Results:

79% report becoming physically stronger since starting mermaiding

67% were inspired to work on their physical fitness as a result

55% said they felt less stressed

54% saw improvement in lung and breathing conditions

49% felt they became more tolerant to cold and heat

46% were inspired to take a formal certification or class

16% find it helps them cope with a health condition

64% felt mermaiding helped them become more social and network

63% said it helped them combat depression and anxiety

52% became more flexible

51% lost weight

51% were inspired to eat healthier

50% felt they became more resilient

45% say they sleep better

25% say they have more energy

10% felt their skin improved

The respondents also provided these quotes that reflect more of the positive experiences:

"I used to have a phobia of going under water and since starting mermaiding I have faced this phobia""Mermaiding gave me the confidence to become a power lifter and to participate in cosplay""mermaiding has inspired me to go back to sewing and make my own tails. I also learned new techniques such as cutting lexan, riveting, sewing neoprene and using silicone""Mermaiding has got me through a really tough time, health wise.. By reducing the pain I felt 24/7. It also helped me to grow out to be the woman I am today: A more confident, healthier and happier version of me""My breath hold and cardio has improved. my upper body strength has improved, my general swimming ability has improved."

My Personal Experience

Mermaiding has been a wild ride for me from start to finish. When I was first inspired to be a mermaid, I was not very mobile, in a lot of pain, and wasn't a strong swimmer. Wanting to be in the tail really inspired me to seek out appropriate help, put in the hard work my body needed, and become a better swimmer. It didn't happen over night- that's for sure.

I've experienced the majority of the issues people reported in the survey.

I've had my hair literally fall out many times, and I wrote a blog on what I did to fix this and how I now maintain a healthy hair.

I've also had mold cause skin irritation and have published a blog on how I deal with that too.

Along the side here you'll see several video tutorials I have made to help combat other common problems such as foot pain, ear pain and infections, mermaiding with chronic illness, and a little video about why I think freediving training is important for safety.

I have now been a mermaid 10 years, working in the past 5 of those years at least 10 times a month in a tail with my busy season seeing me in a tail practically daily.

I've learned to try and keep silicone tails for the water, and not for dry land gigs if I can help it. The gravity on land is a lot less forgiving on our poor bodies in these heavy tails, and when we're in the water our feet are in a more neutral position.

I've had my tail cause me to pinch my sciatic nerve and it took about 3 months to fix, and now I have to actively prevent it.

I have broken fingers and toes while mermaiding.

I've cut myself pretty seriously on rocks.

The affect of mermaiding on my back, spine, and posture is certainly something I notice. I visit a chiropractor often to offset the damage done.

Most recently overuse of my ankle in the monofin on dry land caused me to have a sprained foot and ankle and it sure has been a chore trying to fix this.

I also have scars on the tops of my feet from blisters!

In Conclusion...

Obviously it's not all bad or I wouldn't still be doing it! I wouldn't have this blog, and I wouldn't be working so hard to educate and empower the community!

Mermaiding has given me a sense of community, a motivation to keep myself healthy and fit, it's taught my new skills and been both financially rewarding and emotionally so. I've made amazing friends, had life changing experiences, and lived a very exciting life.

So this long term effect of mermaiding. What do I think it is? I think it's certainly a mix of good or bad, and I think if you're careful and safe the bad is very little. I would hope, the bad is worthwhile. I want to be a 90 year old woman who looks at the scars on her feet and smiles because I remember my time in a mermaid tail.

If you like my blog and my resources, please consider tossing a few sand dollars my way! I provide all of these services for free, but they cost me money to create. Any little bit helps me offset that cost. Thanks!

Subscription boxes are a BIG DEAL these days! You can get a subscription box to compliment any interest, any lifestyle, any diet! I often am approached by subscription services to test out, review, and if I like - promote- a product. In July I was approached by Goddess Provisions to receive their "Sacred Waters Box"a mermaid/ocean themed box from a Goddess themed subscription company.

It has taken me a while to do this review... honestly... because I loved the items SO MUCH I used them up too quickly. I just couldn't get enough. I actually after trying these items, went and bought more of most of them, and gave them as gifts for my family! I have never done that before with samples. Maybe I like 1 item. But this box was just so perfect for a mermaid.

Check out this time lapse of my opening the box and checking out the goodies.

So what was IN this magical goddess box that I loved so much? Let's take a look at the break down of each item, the value, and what I thought of it:

Mazi Turkish Towel - $20 ValueUse this towel to dry off after swimming, sit on in the sauna, or wear it as a head wrap. Great for a day at the beach, river, lake, or pool.

This was a beautifully crafted towel that any mermaid would appreciate. With designs that reminded me of the iridescence of a sunset on water.

House of Intuition Bath Salts - $8 ValueSprinkle a handful of these salts made with soothing herbs and essential oils into your bath water and allow tension to float away.

I BECAME ADDICTED TO THESE. I had never heard of "bath tea" before this company, and now it's my favourite thing. It's more than salts it's also dried herbs and flowers. It made my bath beautiful, smelled amazing, and my skin was so nice. After using the sample and went and bought $100 worth of products.

Love by Luna Nail Polish - $18 ValueThis obsidian-infused polish’s deep blue shimmer is dark and mysterious like the ocean. Wear on your nails during times of introspection and healing.

Though I am not a vegan, I am still very conscious of the choices I make with my "buying power". This nail polish was my first time encountering "vegan" nail polish and to me there was no noticeable difference. What an easy change to make, to be sure our animal friends are ok. I had to laugh too because the one I got was called "Scorpio" which I happen to be. Beautiful deep color. Didn't chip easily.

Now you can have "mermaid hair" on the go without the chlorine pool ;) This spray smelled AMAZING and also really did give my hair beachy waves (as you can see in my photos). It made it feel nice and soft and smooth too.

I was actually in the middle of a diet overhaul when I tried this bar. It was delicious, ethical, and filling. ;) A perfect mermaid snack! Again, Goddess Provisions takes the guess work out for you, curating ethical vegan products.

ArtNaturals Konjac Facial Sponge Set - $10 ValueMade from natural PH balancing plant fibers, these sponges soften in water to gently detoxify, hydrate and exfoliate delicate skin. Great for all skin types.

ANOTHER TOTAL FAVORITE. I am addicted to these sponges. They start out rock hard until you put them in water. Ethical as they're made from plants, and boy oh boy do they LAST and feel great on my skin.

Sodalite - $5 ValueThis stone promotes peace and tranquility amidst murky waters. Carry this stone for a deeper connection to your intuition and as a reminder to trust your instincts.

I am not one to really get into this sort of spiritualism but I enjoyed the symbolism behind the stone. Keeping it in mind, I was reminded of the message every time I looked at it.

Why I Sincerely Loved This Box

The best thing about this box for me was simply that I LOVED all of the items in it. It's rare to get a box of samples like this, and for me to follow up by actually searching out the individual vendors.

This is a sign of an excellent curator. GP doesn't just find you unique items you may otherwise not know about (who knew there were vegan sponges or bath teas?), but also takes the guess work out for you by making sure everything is vegan and ethical. As mermaids, we care about the environment even if we aren't all vegetarians or vegans. We still appreciate minimizing the suffering of others and the tax on our environment. I love that I can feel good about each of these items.

The box also came with DISCOUNT CODES for each of the other vendors. I had fun using them.

This subscription box is one I can really get behind. Even if you're not up for a monthly box, I really suggest buying this specific box and checking out these cool items. You may find yourself just as addicted as I now am! I love supporting small businesses- especially ones that are so creative. If you'd like, you can use my referral linkhere.

You Deserve these GoddessProvisions!

I wanted to talk for a moment about the benefit of using ratios of mermaids per children in mermaid party swimming bookings. I think this is a practice that companies should work toward. While it may not be feasible at first for those who are a 1-person operation, as you grow and add more to your team I think it should be a new industry standard. I’ve talked a lot about this in details in my books and publications, along with citations. But for now, here’s the Cole’s notes version!

A ratio is when you determine how many children a single mer can effectively entertain, while also keeping themselves and the children safe. The more kids we add the more the risk goes up and the space goes down in the pool. It’s easy to accidentally harm a child, damage your tail, and yourself. It’s also very hard to engage in a meaningful way with every child.

Most pools enforce a ratio of children to parents, lifeguards to swimmers etc. I believe mermaids should be the same. In my company my packages will say “for up to X amount of swimmers, after that a second/third mer is required”. I also do this for pool bookings where a community invites us in to swim. The amount of kids you allow can depend on what you feel you can handle, the space of the pool, and whether or not you’re having kids try out tails.

In my company, if I am giving a lesson in tails, the ratio is 1 mer per every 5 kids. Especially because I give my lessons while in a costume myself. I need to be able to get to a kid quickly, and make sure they’re all getting proper instruction. If they’re older/teens/adult I can bump it up to 10. A second mermaid allows us to break the kids into two groups and then re-join. Not only is it safer, it’s a proven strategy for effective teaching and behavioural management.

For swim I am typically 1 mer per every 10(ish) kids using my discretion. Sometimes I’ll go up to 15. I usually tell clients ‘participating kids” as we all know people bring babies and toddlers who likely wont need much of your attention and will be on a parent’s hip. If I have a party of 30 participating kids, I will require 2 mermaids.

Having more than 1 mermaid is ideal for keeping everyone happy, engaged, and dealing with behavioural issues. If a mer has a child who is heckling them a bit, they can re-direct that child to me and we can take turns while the other addresses the group. Having more than 1 mer really helps if you have the odd shy child who may need special attention. If you are by yourself the clients aren’t happy if you spend all your time on 1 child.

Ratios also help keep the mermaid safe. I have had instances where something has happened and a mermaid has had to get out of a pool due to illness or injury, and the other mermaid was able to take over the group with no detriment to the experience. Two or three mermaids can take a group of 50-60 kids and lead them in different directions to split them up and make them more manageable.

Overall, ratios help you provide a better-quality experience. And they aren’t a hard sell when you pitch them to your clients that way. We want to ensure your child and their friends get adequate attention and time with a mermaid, and we want to make sure all children and mermaids are safe.

For you as the mer, ratios offer the benefit of preventing burnout by having extra help, keeping you safe and limiting your risk, happy clients, and you can bill out a second mermaid to make a bit more money.

Why not give it a try?

Thanks so much for reading and using my resources. Please share them with your friends. I dream of a mer-community where everyone is safe!

If you liked this resource, please consider tossing a few sand dollars my way! It helps me cover the costs of putting out all this information for free! (Like website hosting, photo gear. materials etc) I create blog tutorials, youtube videos, and spend a lot of time mentoring new mers for free. Thanks!

In the 10 years I have been in the community, I have been contacted a lot about scam tail makers. I have seen first hand outright thieves in the mer-community, and recently I have seen an uptake in this due to popularity. This blog will serve as a share-able reference of how to spot a scam, and what to do if you have been scammed.

Things to Consider Before You Send Money

The first thing you should do is check the Mernetwork’s list of tail makers, up-and-coming tail makers, and known scammers. Mernetwork has requirements a company must meet before being able to be on the list. You’ll also find reviews and discussion and see how other people have faired with this person. You do not need an account to view the list.

A tricky thing you’ll have to consider is taking a chance on a new tail maker. New tail makers will often create tails at cost so they can cover their materials and still gain experience and knowledge. You enter into an agreement with them where you understand your product may not be perfect. This has the potential to go both ways. For instance, I did this. That new tail maker? Merbella’s studios. Who are now one of the top recognized tail makers in the world! However, it can also backfire. I accepted a free tail from someone who wanted me to give promotion. I did the best I could with what they sent me, but then that person went on to take money from people and not make tails! They became a thief. So it backfired on me.

This is one of the areas that makes it difficult for mers on a budget!

Another thing to consider is that you do get what you pay for. If someone is offering you a full platinum silicone tail for ridiculously low price… it’s not going to be legit. Comparatively, people try to “mark up” tails to make money on them. You decide what it’s worth to pay, but many buy sell groups are now requiring proof of purchase to prove the original price of a tail.

Material quality is one way mers have been scammed. Tail makers advertise one thing but use another. It’s important you study photos and videos of tails the person has already made carefully. For instance, silicone caulking can be safe when used appropriately and cured fully. It often has a vinegary smell. But alex plus- a latex mix is toxic and can be absorbed into your blood. Medical grade silicone is always the best.

You should always keep a record of every conversation and discussion over your item that you have with a tail maker. If you decide to talk to them by phone, follow it up with an email that states what was discussed for your records. Always keep record of everything.

If your tail maker has created a term of service, you should read it thoroughly and hold them to it. If they have not, you should come up with your own contract. You can find many templates online. Even if the person does scam you, this will at least provide you with the needed evidence to take action against them.

Another important note is that your tail maker should actually invoice you if using sites like Paypal. If you send money as a "gift" you wont get buyer's protection.

Signs of a Scam

The biggest sign of a scam is simply that the tail maker doesn’t deliver at all, or under-delivers. Yes, we understand that things get delayed. But there have been tail makers in the past who have flat out taken money and run off with it.

These include Adam Martyn - who lured people in with his professional website, and SPFX youtube, stealing tens of thousands of dollars from the likes of Hannah Fraser and Mermaid Melissa among many others.

Fishbutts – who made tails out of subpar quality items, but for a reasonable price, and eventually took on more tails than they could handle and took off with the money with many mers waiting on tails

Mermaid Creations – similar situation, though the owner eventually after years managed to pay some people back.

Not all tail makers will flat out take your money, but they will intentionally under-deliver. This is often because they’ve spent the money you’ve sent and then take too much time to earn enough to cover your materials, so something gets thrown together.

Another scam is websites popping up using photos of other mers existing tails to lure you into thinking they made them. If it seems too good to be true, do a reserve image search using a website like tineye.com or google image search to see if the image pops up elsewhere on the web.

Perhaps the biggest sign of a scam is lack of communication. Some well-known tail makers don’t have time to reply to every email or message, but they make that clear up front and still have excellent deliverables. But if you’re working with a “new” person there is no reason why you should be waiting months for a reply.

Using paypal or your credit card offers buyer’s protection, but one way that scammers try to get around this is dragging out your tail making process so that the protection expires. This is also an issue if you make multiple payments. Your tail shouldn’t take any longer than the buyer’s protection unless you have some sort of legal contract you can use as back up.

Scammers will often use threats, bullying, blackmail and intimidation to coerce you into staying quiet. No reputable tail maker will do this to you. If you start getting this behaviour, it’s time to get out – now!

Adam Martyn, who scammed mermaids out of $10,000 each

What to Do if You've Been Scammed

As previously mentioned buyer’s protection expires and scammers know this, but you aren’t alone if this protection has worn off and you find yourself out money and no tail!

Many companies such as paypal and etsy will still protect you (and your credit card too) if you provide them with enough evidence. All of your financial statements related to the purchase, any contracts/terms of service, and communications will help. It helps to call these companies directly. For instance, rather than disputing every payment on paypal, you can call and have them consolidate into one so you can dispute the whole amount. Visa and Mastercard have fraud protection. They can reverse charges and flag the other person’s account for investigation. It doesn’t hurt to ask, even if you think they won’t be able to help. Don’t give up before you try. Don’t worry if the situation is “messy” they deal with this stuff for a living.

If you are scammed DO NOT BE QUIET. Do not be scared of the person. You are not slandering them or participating in libel. Speak up on mermaid groups and on the mernetwork. You may gain more evidence to use in your case against them to prove they have a track record if others come forward with proof.

Fraud is illegal. So don’t feel like you’re overdoing it by filing a police report. You may not get anything back, but it all helps to keep the person accountable and prevent them from doing it to someone else.

You can also report to the BBB, and if they’re using external pages like Shopify or Etsy or Paypal to run their business, you can also report to them to have their sites taken down.

Your community is HERE FOR YOU don't be scared to tell your story

Being scammed sucks, and it has happened to many of us on a big and small scale. It’s not always mermaid tails, sometimes people run fraud schemes to make money off smaller items. Never be scared to speak up. The community may not always be able to help you get money back, but we are here to support you. It's never drama to talk about being the victim of a crime. Good luck!

Thanks so much for reading and using my resources. Please share them with your friends. I dream of a mer-community where everyone is safe!

If you liked this resource, please consider tossing a few sand dollars my way! It helps me cover the costs of putting out all this information for free! (Like website hosting, photo gear. materials etc) I create blog tutorials, youtube videos, and spend a lot of time mentoring new mers for free. Thanks!

Mold! It's no fun- but it's a reality in the mermaid world. Anything that gets wet or sweaty can grow... you guessed it! Toxic and dangerous mold! In today's block we're going to look at the issue of mold, help you prevent it, and what to do when you get it!

What is Mold- and How Does it End up in My Tail?

Spelled mold or mould, we aren't talking about the shapes used to pour silicone in! Mold is a fungus that grows in moist places. You've probably seen it on bread, cheese, wet walls, or even your bathroom shower grout! Some mold is dangerous, others aren't. Some can even be used in medicine or eaten from cheese! But the mold we get in our tails? Not fun!

Mold can eat away at certain materials. Silicone is one of them. It can also cause really bad skin irritation. Have you ever taken off your mermaid tail only to find your legs are covered in itchy spots, raised bumps, or spots that look like bug bites? Chances are, even if you can't see it yet. There is mold growing in your tail! Some people can have severe allergic reactions to mold. It can even get into the air and make you really sick.

Mold likes damp spaces, and your silicone tail sure is that. Most tails are full of microscopic holes that we can't see. Left by the curing process of the silicone. Some tail makers remove these air bubbles- but the silicone can still be porous and full of tiny hard to see holes. Moisture and bacteria gets trapped in there. From the water you swim in, from your sweat, from the lotions you use to get your tail on, and from your dead skin cells. This is a perfect breeding ground for mold!

Rather than wait until you get a rash, you should ALWAYS thoroughly clean and dry your mermaid tails. Your tail maker may suggest certain cleansers. But remember, drying is just as important as cleaning. Setting your tail up to drain isn't enough to kill mold. You really need the passage of air.

What to Do When You Have Mold

So here we are. I took a trip to Florida and didn't have time to properly clean and dry my tail all the time. I got mold all through the waist line and parts of the tail as you can see here! It turned it black. It looked so ugly!! So I started researching online of the best way to get this mold out. Here's what I found.

I used this mold cleaner (made for cleaning silicone) after watching tutorials online for it. use in a ventilated space, wear a mask and gloves. Put something like a garbage bag or disposable table cloth underneath

2) Get strong paper towel or alternative like a thin rag that will stay saturated. Totally saturate it with the cleaner. I'm talking sopping wet.

3) Weigh down the affected area with weights and basically smoosh it into the wet paper towel. The reason this works is because simply spraying will not penetrate the porousness of the silicone. Leave for 12 hours, then swap out the paper towel with new re-saturated paper for another 12 hours.

4) You can see a pretty drastic improvement. The dark color you still see in mine, is because before I could clean it I put a thin layer of silicone over that spot in hopes of stopping the spread (because previously I hadn't found a cleaner that worked)

You can do this throughout your tail. I suggest smaller sections for 12-24 hours at a time for best results. I got pretty much all the mold out of my tail.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Wash your tail with regular soap and warm water before putting it on again.

Before After

And that's all there is to it! Remember; the best way to deal with mold is to prevent it from getting there to begin with. But hey, we're all humans trying to be mermaids. We're going to mess up from time to time.

If you liked this resource, please consider tossing a few sand dollars my way! It helps me cover the costs of putting out all this information for free! (Like website hosting, photo gear. materials etc)

This is a pay what you can course! It's a basic introduction to mermaid safety, for recreational mers, those looking to get into mermaiding, and professionals who want to brush up on their skills. Each course takes aprox 40 hours of instructional design and development to create for you. I track down resources from experts both in the mermaid field, the swimming and freediving field, academics, and the safety field.

It takes a lot of time, resources, and energy to create these resources for you. Please pay what you can afford for it! Whether it's 1$ or more. A course like this would typically cost $25-$30.

This course can be done using a mobile device but is best viewed on PC or tablet. Click here to see the system requirements for playing this course.

Run Time:30-45minutes

​Summary:This is the first module in a series on mermaid safety. This is an introduction that is good for recreational mers, mers who are just getting started, mers who want to model underwater, or those who don't know where to start when it comes to safety. It's also an excellent course for those who want to start a business. This course focuses on your personal safety. This is not a course for the safety of others, that will follow!

Created by Raina using her background in First Aid Training, Free Diving, Instructional design, and education.

This course draws information from industry experts in mermaiding, health and safety, freediving, and risk management.

ENJOY THE COURSE! Share with your mer-friends!

Disclaimer:This course is owned by Raina Mermaid of Canadian Mermaids Inc and Halifax Mermaids. It is not to be copied, or redistributed by any other means that what is identified here in whole or in part.

The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only. The information is provided by Raina and while I endeavor to keep the information up to date and correct, I make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.In no event will we be liable for any loss or damage including without limitation, indirect or consequential loss or damage, or any loss or damage whatsoever arising from loss of data or profits arising out of, or in connection with, the use of this website.

The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.

In each video, start and finish by reminding people to like and subscribe to your videos. These numbers help with the YouTube algorithm and help your videos show up to new people.

Avoid using any copyrighted material. I will show you how to get free and legal music to use. If you use any copyrighted music, you won’t be able to make money from the videos.

Though I have personally made long videos, I have been working toward shorter ones. Shorter ones from a learning standpoint work better and tend to get more views. 3-4 minutes seems to be the sweet spot!

If you don’t have fiberOp it can take a while for your videos to upload to YouTube. Before I got fiberOp I would upload when I went to bed and publish when I got up in the morning.

Videos do better with an attractive thumbnail. Once you upload your video and been approved as a partner. you can replace the thumbnail with something custom you have made. Otherwise you'll get to choose between a few stills! Choose the best one.

After you sign up for YouTube, you’ll be able to customize your page and have access to several menus.

Your main YouTube page will default to an image like this. You will see your icon for your menu at the top right hand corner.

The icon is your profile drop down menu.The bell is your notifications.The grid is a Youtube menu that you won’t often use as a creator.The arrow is a direct button for uploading.

There is also a menu on the top left-hand corner. Clicking it creates the following drop down

This let’s you see feeds for other videos, along with your watch history, videos you’ve liked, and any playlists you’ve created. Playlisting your own videos is very helpful for organizing them.Returning to the top right menu, let’s explore your personal drop down. Click the icon. (you’ll be able to change it if you haven’t already).

"My Channel” is where you can customize how your channel appears to viewers.

“Creator Studio” is where you can keep track of videos you’ve created, moderate comments, apply minor edits to existing videos, see your analytics/views, and follow up on any copyright or flagged content.

“Switch account” allows you to manage multiple accounts and channels at once.“Dark Theme” is a setting for if you’re working in a darker area.

Let’s check out “Creator Studio”.

The default for “Creator Studio” will show you a summary page. This is a snapshot of the last 30 days on your account. You may not see much here if you’ve just made an account or only have a few videos.

This top bar indicates that I am a “YouTube Partner”. This means I make money from YouTube. I’ll teach you how to do that- don’t worry. You can see my current pageviews and subscribers. There’s also an “add widget” button I can customize. If I want to quickly visit my front page – what viewers see- I can click “view channel”

Down below, you see a snap shot of my analytics.

You can click “view all” to see more details. The “estimated revenue” doesn’t appear to be accurate or to change drastically. However, if you make money from YouTube you’ll get a check or auto-deposit once a month if you’ve reached the $100 threshold of earnings. Looking at these insights will show you which types of videos are the most popular, and which are making you the most money. You can also see a preview of information for your most recent videos, and a tip card that will change daily.

We have another dropdown menu on the left. This is your “creator studio dashboard”.

“Video Manager” is where you can few insights for individual videos, moderate comments, make videos private or delete them, and multi-select videos to add or remove from playlists.

“Live Streaming” is where you can set up a livestream, very similar to Facebook.

“Community” is a summary of your comments. We’ll look at this in more detail shortly.

“Channel” allows you to make specific channel – wide changes. We’ll look at this more specifically shortly.

“Analytics” is a more detailed deep dive into your data.

“Translations” is where you can upload closed captioning in various translations.

“Create” is where you can get FREE music and sound effects to use in your videos. If you use the content provided here- you can make money off your videos. You can preview, search, and download. You can also see is you’re legally allowed to use a copyrighted piece of music, and the limitations.

By clicking “video manager” I can see all of my videos. I can see if the video is monetized and making money (green icon), if it can be viewed world wide (earth), how many comments have been approved, and how many likes/dislikes it has received. I also see if the video is in HD.Along the left-hand side there is a sub menu, I can see playlists, if I’ve gotten any copyright notices, and retractions for dealing with disputes.

Using the “actions” button and the selection boxes next to each video I get a number of actions I can apply, such as making the video private, unlisted, deleting, changing tags, etc.

Once I have uploaded a video, this is where I go to make any changes or set the settings. Once I click on “edit” this is what you will see:

In this menu I can change the tags, apply translations, apply to monetize my video, share it on social media, select a new thumbnail and more. If someone else helped me with the video on YouTube, there is even a button for giving that user credit. Under the monetization tab you can select the way you want ads to appear once you're a partner, see the status, and toggle on or off. Note: YouTube will sometimes inappropriately tag something as not being advertiser friendly. If this happens to you, no worries. I’ll show you how to fix it.

Under “Advanced Settings” you can select how to moderate comments. I suggest what I have selected here. This means you’ll have to approve every comment. Or you can turn them off all together. You can see there are many other options you can change as well.

At the top of the screen are other tabs for edits you can make to your video. You can easily change/replace music, make minor edits, and add annotations. “Enhancements” will allow you to do some very minor edits.

Now let’s continue and look at how to moderate comments. On the left hand drop down menu, you’re going to want to click “comments”. This will bring you to a new window:

In this window I can see approved comments, comments awaiting moderation, and spam. I see exactly what video they’re attached to. If I approve a comment from the review tab, it moves to this published comments tab. From here I can heart it, vote on it, and reply to it. I can also flag it for abuse or spam (which can also be done on the other tabs) or go ahead and delete it.

On this same menu, you can access messages- but most YouTubers do not use this, so don’t worry.The “create” menu button on the left, takes you to the free music library.

You can preview these audio files, download them, and use them in your videos. You can also get sound effects. At the top of the page there is usually a blue bar where you can search copyrighted music to see if you can use it. You won’t be able to make money from copyrighted music, but sometimes you’re still allowed to at least use it.

Click the link. You’ll be able to see current pop music along with searching it. Click on the song to see the details:

In this instance, I can use the song on the video, but I won’t be able to make money off it. (unless I record a cover song). I can see that if I use this song people around the world will still be able to watch the video. (this isn’t always the case).

Uploading a Video to YouTube:You can upload a video to YouTube from anytime on your desktop or the ap by clicking the upload arrow we’ve already seen in the top right-hand corner. Once you click, you’ll see this window.

You’ll notice you can decide right away if you want the video public or not. It sometimes helps to put it private until you’ve reviewed it. You can upload the video by dragging it into that space, or by clicking the icon and a pop-up window will prompt you. Note: depending on your browser, dragging make take two tries.Here is a video that will walk you through the exact steps of uploading a video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klVWGHtRTuETips:

Have a catchy shorter title

Add a thumbnail that is eye-catching with text

Add plenty of relevant tags

Add a description and link your social media

Once your video is done processing, it’ll appear on your YouTube account.I like to have playlists for different topics. Then I can organize them on my front page. For instance, I have a playlist called “So You Want to be a Mermaid”. This includes all the videos I have made teaching people about the mer-industry. You can do this manually by clicking the + on each video and selecting the playlist from the drop-down menu. Or you can return to your general front page and use the select button as previously discussed.

On your “my channel” front page, you’ll be able to customize the same way you do on Facebook with a profile and cover picture. You can add a link to your website, and by clicking the “customize” button you can choose which playlists you’d like viewers to see when they visit your page. You can also select a specific video to auto-play with returning viewers visit, and one for when new visitors visit. A lot of people make a “welcome to my YouTube’ video for this purpose.

If you get a copyright notice on a video, don’t panic. It doesn’t mean you’re in trouble. Most times YouTube will not take your video down, but they will send you a message that you have to agree with. It’ll notify you that you won’t be able to make money off the clip, and any other limitations. Of course, if they do ask you to remove the clip, you must do that. If this was done in error, you can also dispute the claim. As you see I have a copyright claim on this video for music use.

By clicking the hyperlink I am taken to this screen where I can see the limitations, or dispute it if need be:

Sometimes you will run into an issue where your video is accidentally flagged for having “content that isn’t advertiser friendly”. If this is the case, your dollar sign will turn yellow:

Click the "request review" button

How to Apply to Make Money on YouTube

To make that money, you’ll need to meet a few standards:

You need a total of 4000 watch hours in a year (meaning people have watched that many hours of your videos, don’t worry, this adds up fast)

Follow the on-screen steps to accept the YouTube Partner Program Terms.

Create a new AdSense account or connect an existing one to your channel. You need an AdSense account to earn money from your videos and get paid. Follow these steps to set up an AdSense account.

In order to receive payments, you need to log into your AdSense account and ensure you have resolved any payment holds. Once any holds are resolved, you'll be paid when your earnings reach your local payment threshold (as long as monetization is not suspended for your channel and you're in compliance with our policies).

Set what types of ads you want to run on your videos and automatically turn on monetization for all your existing and future videos.When you set this up, you will start earning money as soon as your channel is approved.

Confirm you want to monetize for all your existing and future videos.

Check the boxes under Ads formats to choose the types of ads you want to show.

Introduction

Let’s get real. The amount of merfolk who do nothing but work as mers are very few and far between- if there are any at all. Many of the well known famous mermaids diversify their income.Hannah Fraser- world famous mermaid, not only works as a mermaid but works as a model, performer, artist, and photographer. Mermaid Melissa supplemented her income for years while working at SeaWorld, modelling, stunt work, and monetizing YouTube. Mermaid Linden in addition to being a mermaid launched a line of monofins and kid’s tails, monetized a popular YouTube series, and Freediving judging.

“Working as a mer” can come in many varieties as well. From parties, to filming, selling accessories and tails, teaching lessons, educational events, tourism events, and more.

I have spent about half of my professional mermaid career doing only mermaid work. The other half I was also a student, working part time, or working full time in addition. For the first half of my mermaid career I was still ramping up my business and it was very seasonal. This made it a bit easier to cope with school, or a part time job. Twice in my mermaid career I have worked full time at a 9-5 job while taking time off as needed for weekday mermaid gigs, and working gigs all weekend.

In this blog I will cover tips for balancing your mer career with your other career and/or education, diversifying your income, and provide you with resources and problem-solving tips.

Diversifying Your Income Streams for Success

One of the best ways to achieve success in a financial way and make it easier to focus is to diversify your income. Diversifying your income means having multiple ways that you can get paid! For many of us this comes down to various types of gigs, but there are other easy income streams that require minimal long-term commitment. In my case, I diversify my income in the following ways:

-Main business income comes from gigs-Monetizing Youtube Videos-Selling Books-Monetizing adspace on my websites/blogs-Selling Merchandise-Selling Clothing-Workshops for Professional mers-Modelling/photography-Mermaid Lessons

In looking at that list we can see three tiers of commitment level. At the top tier are the items that require the most time and effort. Obviously, that means gigs and lessons. Videos can sometimes fall into here as well. In person workshops take a lot of work too.

At the middle tier are items that require commitment at the start, but then once they’re launched they become self-sustaining. You only need to check in on them occasionally to make sure things are going according to plan. Videos take a lot of work to start, but once monetized you can leave them alone. Same with clothing and selling pre-made items.

At the lowest tier are things like monetizing adspace on your website. It takes about a minute to set up and will generate income.

Diversifying your income will help you with time management. The more self-sustaining items you have at the middle and lower tier, the less time you’ll have to spend on the top tier. You’ll feel less pressure to constantly accept gigs and stretch yourself too thin. Plus, you’re making more money!

Project Management Skills

Managing your time and tasks in both your regular life and you mer-life is a key factor in success and lower stress levels. There are many free programs out there that can help you do this, and also some inexpensive ones as well.

I like to use Google programs to keep our business organized. When I use google calendar I can easily schedule out all my commitments for both real life and mermaid life. They integrate with your phone, and if you can afford it, a Google Home device. You can set reminders that will show up on your phone/calendar and alert you If you have a Google Home. You also can do all this handsfree by simply talking to your Android device.

I use google calendar to schedule my whole life. The calendars can be shared with all members of my team. It makes booking things very quick as I can see availability. I can change or input event and info on the go! This is super helpful.

I also like to use online payment systems such as Square or Paypal. I can create invoice templates so when I am ready to invoice a client it can be done quickly and efficiently.

Having a thorough FAQ on your website will also cutdown on the amount of emails you get that are just asking questions. Setting up an auto reply to let people know it’ll take you X amount of days to reply also helps with stress levels.

I personally also carry a hard copy agenda or calendar as a backup. Sometimes having the visual and the act of writing things down really helps me remember things better.

There are some excellent paid for project management programs that may help you better balance things. One that I love is called “Confluence” and it’s as cheap as $10 a month for 10 users! Perfect if you have a few mermaids working with you.

Using the Resources Around You and Outsourcing

A great way to get better at managing things is to take free online courses/training in areas where you’re weaker. You can even overlap them with the requirements for your school or job. Two great websites for this are Udemy and Courseparks. While they have many courses you can pay for, they also have courses that are free. Everything from learning how to better use Microsoft Office, to video editing, photo editing, writing contracts and more.

There are often free business development and support programs as well through city recreation, libraries, universities, and support programs. If you’re in school, it’s worth it to check out and see what resources they have available. Having that extra bit of training and support can help you be more efficient with your time and make less mistakes. I joined one through my university called “The Center for Women in Business” and through them I get to do a lot of Networking and have access to training if need be.

Outsourcing is also a great time management tool, though it costs money, it may be worth it to you. Fiverr is a website people use to outsource. Some things cost as little as 5$! You can have someone set up your FB page for you, or manage your twitter, or update your website! You can commission someone to make a logo for you, edit a video, optimize your search engine keywords so you show up on Google, or write and distribute a press release for you.

I use Fiverr all the time, though first I’ll look in my friend pool to see If there’s anyone I can hire to do the work for me. I had a friend design all my logos and I am so happy with it. I used Fiverr for a while to help me with press releases, and create an intro for my videos. If you’re a student you can also see if there’s anyway to line up some of the things you need for your business with projects you must do in school. You’ll be surprised how some things can overlap! That way you’ll feel less guilty about spending the time, and you’ll get real world feedback on what you’re working with. I did this when I built my first website!

Burning the Candle at Both Ends

There’s a saying that gets passed around about entrepreneurs. They are the only people who will work 60 hours to avoid working 40! It basically means that when you’re starting your own business, you’re going to be putting in far more time than you would for a normal 9-5. This is very true- especially in the early stages of setting up a business.I must be honest, I am 100% guilty of falling into the trap of stretching myself too thin. Even when I am only working as a mermaid, I’ll often take on too much. It’s obviously a big issue when I work full time as well. Working full time means I can’t take weekday gigs or meet with potential clients in the weekdays.

Often what happens for me because I spend my weekends doing gigs is that I spent my week evenings playing catch up on the rest of my life. This can be so exhausting.

Only you can know what you’re totally capable of, and the balance you need. But my suggestion is to figure that out early on, and set yourself some boundaries.

For instance, I have an auto reply on my email whenever I get really swamped. It lets clients know that it’ll take me 2 business days to reply. It buys me a bit more time so I can catch up.I don’t answer any emails during weekends. My weekends are so busy with mermaid work I need whatever downtime I can get, so unless something pressing comes up I don’t answer emails. (obviously I will for the clients I have that weekend)

I sit down and create my to-do list each Monday, but I put the most pressing items at the top and then have a separate section for things I’d “like” to do but aren’t mandatory.

I also schedule myself things to help me relax ahead of time. Scheduling a massage, a chiropractic adjustment, or even seeing a movie. It’s important I stop and schedule these things.I ask family to let me know about family events well ahead of time so I can be sure to schedule them in. This doesn’t always work or happen, but at least I have an idea what will be going on.

I find it’s very important to keep your home work environment sperate from where you eat or sleep- and there’s been a lot of studies that back up the importance of this. That means if you work at your computer to run your mermaid business, you don’t eat there or take your computer to bed with you. Same goes for your phone. Having that boundary will help you create a better and healthier routine.

Keeping up on exercise is important. It helps flush the stress hormone from your body, and will keep you mentally alert. If you can’t get to the gym, even going for a 10-15 minute walk in your neighborhood will help. And obviously, sleeping is incredibly important too.

I like to create a sleep routine. It is a routine that helps me relax, detach from stress, and have a better chance of sleeping properly. I do this by using no devices with a screen 30 minutes before when I want to fall asleep. I have a nice warm bath and make sure my room is comfortable. It’s important for your mental health to keep these things separate.

Meet the Needs of Your Day Job

Whether you’re just having fun doing mermaiding on the side, or eventually hoping to make it your main income- you need to remember to give your best to the job you have for now. Many companies when they hire you have a clause in the contract you sign saying that your outside business can’t interfere with your work for them.

These are some of the things you need to be concerned about:

-Many companies say no solicitating of outside business in the workplace-In more corporate spaces it may not be appropriate to speak often about your outside work-A company wants to know your committed to doing your job and not distracted

I’ve had many up and down experiences with this. I remember how different it was for each of my student teaching experiences back when I did my Bachelor of Education. For one experience, they flipped out when I spoke about mermaid work- even though a substitute teacher invited me to talk about it. I was so scared after that I didn’t bring it up at my next teaching placement. But at that school they put a newspaper article of me on the wall, said congrats in the morning announcements, and encouraged me to show a video of my mermaid work at the end of the school year.

I have had a similar experience working for other businesses full time. In one corporate workplace they seemed like they were OK with things, but I got negative feedback from management for speaking out my business. I would only do it when co-workers asked me, but it still caused an issue. I’ve have periods of time at that job without any work to do, and I’d answer business emails or work on something related to my business. Despite the fact was keeping busy and they literally had no work for me, I got reprimanded for that.

Contrast that with another similar corporate environment where I worked. I was terrified to talk about my mermaid stuff for fear of running into the same problem. But everyone including the CEO wanted to hear about it. I was encouraged to use some of my skills within the company, and everyone would cheer me on when something good happened.

Booking time off for your business isn’t usually a problem so long as you stick within company protocol. If you’re taking vacation time, it’s no one’s business how you’re spending it. Some offices will reimburse you for a certain amount of hours volunteering and you may be able to cross that with your mermaid work. Some offices will also let you take days unpaid. I’ve utilized these things in order to accommodate the odd weekday booking, and media appearances.

It all depends on where you work, and sometimes you’ll experience those “unspoken rules”. It really does help to keep things mentally separate whenever possible. It’ll keep you out of trouble, but it’ll also help you be more successful in the end.

Conclusion

In conclusion, working in any kind of art or performing arts field tends to be a lot of juggling. Each person is unique and will have to experiment to figure out what works best for them. To have the best chance at success and keep your sanity, it really helps to sit down and plan for how you will handle things. I like to keep a notebook for when ideas pop into my head at random times so I won’t forget them when it’s time to work on business stuff.

The reality is, most people aren’t going to be able to quit their day job and be a mermaid full time. It’s very stressful to have your life revolve from gig to gig, not have work provided insurance, and be unable to really take vacation or sick days. So learning to balance a job (or school) is key!

]]>Tue, 06 Jun 2017 22:09:08 GMThttp://www.mermaidraina.com/blog-tutorials/raina-reviews-sirenetta-the-second-starBrought to you by Tiny Siren Animation- a new mermaid on demand series: “Sirenetta & the Second Star”. I got to preview this series before its general release to the public- and boy am I ready to shell-e-brate!

​Sirenetta Pearlman is a young-adult “part time” mermaid – “The” Little Mermaid in fact! This TV series follows her life after the events of the original classic with a few fun twists. Nettie- as her friends call her- works at a pet store aquarium. She sports colorful hair, stylish outfits, and loves sushi too. She dates a boy nick named Freckles who reminds me a lot of Archie Andrews. She sings the opening theme song and it’s clear that music plays a role in the story telling of this series.​Nettie is living a pretty average life until one evening when she sees four colorful shooting stars. Chasing after them with her boyfriend and best friend Iris, Nettie discovers four lost mermaids that need her help.

​The lost mermaids aren’t the only change to turn up after the four shooting stars streak across the sky. Nearby, a young woman named Jackie is enjoying some frozen yogurt when she spies the shooting stars. She rushes home to reveal a secret to her friend Q. Jackie is actually a Pirate Queen! After putting on a special amulet Jackie transforms into Captain Redgrave. With a particularly perfect evil laugh, Redgrave awakens a pirate ship with zombie pirates!

​The series lands on Amazon Prime video this World Ocean’s Day June 8th. It would be best classified as shorts ranging between 6-15 minutes, and definitely has the feel of many Youtube animated shorts. The series is clearly working with a small budget, but the potential for expansion and exploration is very obvious upon viewing. The voice actors do a pretty decent job with Nettie and Redgrave being the clear strongest and recorded songs weaving their way throughout as well.

The series is very bite size, quick and easy to watch- but would be amazing to see more of. Introductions to characters are sparse and transitions are quick without much explanation. This is a world I know kids will want to be immersed in, and while we learn little bits about the characters as we go through the episodes, there is a lot of potential for expansion should the series gain more traction.​The character design hits it right for the target audience. Cute and eye catching outfits and hair styles, chipper voices, and flashy colors will draw the attention of most young girls. The animation style seems to be done in Flash or a similar type program, but you can see that it draws inspiration from classic cartoon animation. I even think there may be a little Sailor Moon inspiration there, but maybe that’s just me projecting –haha!

​Overall the story of Nettie is really interesting, cute, and quick! I hope that it gets a lot of attention on Amazon so that Tiny Siren can do a full-fledged 22 minute episodes series one day. For now, Tiny Siren Animation is available for hire creating 2D animation and hopefully there will be more of Nettie on the way. Be sure to pull this one up on your watchlist if you’re a lover of mermaids, or for the kids in your life! With a message of love, acceptance, and friendship mixed in with a little mermaid magic, you can't go wrong!

]]>Thu, 15 Dec 2016 20:42:44 GMThttp://www.mermaidraina.com/blog-tutorials/mermaid-hair-dont-care​Hello every-fish! One of the things I am asked a lot about is how I keep my mermaid hair despite all the time I spend in the chlorine! I get asked a lot about wigs, hair care products, hair damage, and more. Over the years I have written about it in numerous ways, done some videos, and even included a section in my book. Here for you now is my complete take on “mermaid hair care” with a fun look at my journey! I hope it helps you protect your hair and feel confident in your hair styles!

Getting my hair styled by a few fans

Hair Styles

​​I have had many hair styles over the year. I was dying my hair blue before “mermaid hair” was even a thing as a teenager, and while I’ve had it long and many colors, I’ve also had it short as well. Mermaids get a lot of flack if they don’t have really long hair but the truth is, long hair can often be problematic for people underwater. As this fun little comic illustrates. Click to see it bigger.

​I’ve always loved dying my hair growing up but that was often very hard on it. I didn’t know much about hair care and I spent a lot of time In the chlorine. The Chlorine actually bleached my hair that I thought why not just go blonde? In my brain I thought it would mean the damage from chlorine would show up less. It was nice for a little while, but in the end because I didn’t know proper hair care, it made my hair melt and fall out. Not good! Click through the slideshow to see my hair styles and colors over the years

​Coping with Hair Damage

​I really just didn’t know what I was doing. My hair kept breaking and was really short, so I went to see a Master Stylist who taught me about caring for my hair. Here’s a video where she explains the damage chlorine does to hair while she’s cutting my hair. My plan was to cut off the dead hair, keep growing it out, and keep cutting the dead off.

​Hair Extensions and Halos

​In the meantime while I was growing my hair out, I tried a few ways to help me feel like I had long hair! Katie the master stylist made me beautiful custom hair halos that I loved wearing for dry gigs and photo shoots. Click through to see how the extensions look on me!

​Lacefront Wigs

​I would also wear lacefront wigs under water to have long hair underwater. This helped me two ways: 1) it actually protected my hair because it was in a cap under the wig, and 2) it really added to my costume. I decided on lacefront wigs (which are more expensive) because they blend really well with your skin and create a natural hair line. I added extra anchoring to them using head dresses. I went with synthetic so they could handle the chlorine, and I got a special looper brush for caring for them. I got them in a few lengths but I kept them all read. I really love using them, and they make it easier to have a secret human identity. When I am done gigs I simply take them off and the kids don’t recognize me. Here are some photos and videos about the lacefront wigs! Even underwater.

Merman Too!

​Wigs aren’t just for women. Many of my mer-men friends wear them too. Check out my Merman friend here in his before and after. I think this is just amazing how much it can transform a look or create a costume. Merman Lir rocks. Check him out: ​https://www.facebook.com/pg/MermanLir/

Before a wig

After a lacefront wig. Perfect for a merman persona

Merman Lir looking fin-tastic

Hair Care: MONAT to the Rescue

Despite doing my best to make my hair grow, after a year it still hadn’t grown and I was still struggling with getting chlorine out of it any time it got wet. My family friend Glenna had started selling a product called MONAT. I want to disclaim right here and now that I get no sponsorship or anything from MONAT and I do not sell them. This is my true opinions and experiences. At first, I was skeptical. I got some samples from Glenna and didn’t like the first one I tried, but I liked the second. Right away my hair felt better when I washed it. No more turning to mush when wet or straw when dry. I was impressed enough to invest in a system. I figured since I was trying it I might as well try their supplements too. After all, I wanted long healthy hair!​The photo on the left is at the very end of July 2016 with my hair straightened. The photo on the right is the middle of November 2016 after using the MONAT Renew system with S3 supplements. I straightened my hair in this one too. I’ll let you be the judge….

Before MONAT

5 Months Using MONAT

​MONAT also has this great oil that feels really nice on my face and neck after being in the chlorine. Chlorine can burn out your skin so bad.

It has been a real journey trying to grow, keep, and save my hair. As an entertainer I am able to write off the expense of my hair care, so that makes it a little easier. If you’re a mer performer I would look into that too. MONAT is the only thing that has worked for me so far, and I like it because they are eco-conscious and don’t test on animals and all sorts of other good things. Plus when I buy it I know I am supporting a female friend in her own business. If you’re thinking about MONAT check to see if there are any reps in your area so you can try some samples first. It may take trying a few products to see which one is right for you. I became a VIP member so I could get a discount and free shipping. It’s great! They also sometimes send extra samples and free gifts.

Here's a few photos over the past few months of my MONAT journey while growing my hair!

​More Resources

Here are some excellent resources for you if you’re a merfolk looking to care for your hair!